The prototype toolbar:



I may also add in a (horizontal) move tool/icon, which may be easier than manually moving the electrical components.

When you go to place a switch or outlet the draw tool will sense which side of the wall you are facing and place the component on the side of the wall facing you (the camera).  To place components on the other side of the wall, just spin the wall around and face the side that you want to place your electrical components.

I think this is much more intuitive than having a hotkey which toggles which side of the wall to place the component.

In the global settings I will have a parameter which allows the user to select which electrical standards to use, I will begin with the North American standard (NEMA).

The internal details of the actual switch or receptacle are irrelevant and as you can see in my low poly models they are eliminated. Only the exterior geometry of the electrical components are represented.

I am creating the switches and outlets so that their material/color can be modified independent of the face plates. The plugin will allow the user to customize both the face plate material and the actual switch/outlet material. The electrical box will be set to the standard Carlon blue however the user can always edit this material in SU and change it to whatever they desire.

You will also notice with these models that there are two layers: electrical_rough and electrical_finish. This allows the user to quickly toggle off the finish electrical components so the rough installation can be easily inspected.

Another interesting aspect of this new plugin is the way I'm going to set it up within the wall panels of the wall plugin.  When a wall panel is regenerated the electrical components (groups) will be retained, similar to the way I already retain custom geometry.  What this allows is custom editing by the user of any of these electrical components within the wall once they are installed/inserted.  For instance let's say you want to change the material of one of the duplex receptacles to red in a 4-gang box but leave all the rest the default material specified by the plugin, you will be able to do this.

When you edit a switch or receptacle and don't change out its "style", but only its vertical position in the wall or the material of the face plate or switch/outlet then the group/component is not redraw but only modified.  Again this will allow the retention of custom mods.

The location horizontally within the wall panel is originally set when the electrical component is placed.  To modify its location the user can just jump into the wall panel group and uses SketchUp's built in move tool to alter its position.

I will probably include a delete tool for convenience however as with moving this tool is not really needed since the user can just as easily delete the components within the wall panel group.

I'm still thinking through all of the dynamics and parameters that will be required by the plugin, feel free to leave your suggestions or thoughts.

I am starting this new discussion thread as a fork from the Medeek Wall Plugin thread since the Medeek Electrical extension will now become a stand alone extension/plugin.

Its logo will be:



I've created a series of basic default outlets and switches which will form the basis of the plugins pre-assembled components.  There will be many to add in later but this should be enough to allow me to setup the tools for inserting switches and outlets.

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/7944ef20-48c4-40ee-ad10-993d18156c55/Medeek-Electrical-Low-Poly-Count

This extension or plugin is designed from the outset to work directly with the Medeek Wall extension however in the future I may extend it so that it can be employed with any wall geometry.   The details on all of that are yet to be determined.

Yet another plugin within an already beautiful plugin.  The plugin suite is not only increasing in depth but becoming very broad as well.  The best is yet to come.

Some have asked me where does it all end.  My best answer, at this point, is only when the plugin(s) can successfully model, create full construction documents, estimate and engineer every aspect of a residential design.  Then my work will be done.  Looks like I have a few years to go...

My goal this year is to hopefully bring on some extra programming help so I can further accelerate the development and eventually get to the engineering (my piece de resistance) modules. 

I've looked around for some relatively lightweight electrical outlets and switches to use as the default components in the new electrical module.  Unfortunately, everything in the warehouse is too complex or high poly count for my liking.

I've created some very basic outlets that I probably use in this new module, you can preview them here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/6a03cecf-8fe4-4275-a5d7-e2c95fed8d90/Medeek-Duplex-Outlets-LOW-POLY

I will also create a series of low poly switches.

The electrical boxes are dimensionally accurate and are models of the Carlon Blue PVC boxes.  The faceplates are per the specs sheets from Leviton standard face plate sizes.

When I get some extra time I will add in more options for boxes and face plates.



I'll start with the standard US/Canadian NEMA receptacles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector

Within the global settings the user will be able to set which country's electrical standard they wish to use.

After some discussion on stairs today and giving it some more thought it did occur to me that one could pre-assemble some more common stair configurations with the plugin and then at a later time simply copy and paste these into a new or different models.  The inserted stairs (groups) can then be edited just like any other stair assembly created from scratch in the model/file.

This same strategy, of course, applies to walls, beams, roofs, foundations etc...

If anyone notices any problems with this strategy please let me know.

I am adding a sponsors section to each plugin page:

http://design.medeek.com/resources/medeekwallplugin.pl#Sponsors

Hopefully this will be another small source of revenue to help offset my recent decision to skip out on subscription licensing.  I am also excited to be able to provide some recognition to those who have been instrumental in the development of these plugins.

If you feel like you should be included as one of the development or finanicial sponsors please contact me via email.

Each sponsorship includes a listing with your logo, name (individual or company), a short paragraph explaining your business, credentials, products etc... and a link to your website.

The same sponsors section will be shown at the bottom of all three plugin pages.

I am also open to suggestions on how to make this feature/listing more attractive to potential sponsors.

It looks like there is continued interest in the development of this plugin.  I will give it further consideration.

Version 1.2.1 - 01.20.2019
- Fixed a bug in the license and registration module.

Version 1.0.2 - 01.19.2019
- Added a louver vent option for all window shapes: Rectangle, Half Round, Segmented Arch, Gothic Arch, Oval/Circle, Octagon





Louver vents are really nothing more than removing the sash and glass from a window assembly and replacing them with slats.  Exterior trim around the louvers can also be applied (the same as regular windows).

Version 1.0.1 - 01.18.2019
- Added octagon windows to the window draw and edit modules.
- Fixed a bug in the license and registration module.









I've never actually seen an octagon window with ext. shutters so for now I will use rectangular shaped shutters on octagon windows until told to do otherwise.

I kind of forgot how much work it is to add in a new windows shape, there are so many options and elements and each one must be dealt with:  sheathing, cladding, framing, trim, casing, shutters, band boards, frieze boards, water boards, wainscoting, labels.

The good news is that as I add in more window shapes/types a lot of the code begins to overlap so I can usually cobble together the logic based on work I've already done, which of course is easier and faster than creating something from scratch.

Version 2.2.8b - 01.18.2019
- Fixed a bug in the license and registration module.

I've noticed an issue with some licenses created in 2016.  If you purchased a license before Jan. 2017 and the plugin is still showing as "TRIAL" version, even when the serial number is input properly into the License tab of the global settings, please contact me and I will re-issue you a corrected serial number as well as upgrade your expiration date by six months for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

Similar to the Oval/Circle window I'm not installing a ledge with the Octagon window, let me know if this should be otherwise.

Per customer request I will be adding in the octagon (fixed/picture) window:





The ratio of the window height to width determines whether it is a true octagon or an elongated one.  As usual the possibilities are infinite.  I think for now I will just utilize rectangular shutters for this window type until someone tells me otherwise.